Article carrier and method of interlocking a pair of panels in face contacting relation

ABSTRACT

An article carrier of the wrap-around type having top, bottom and side walls foldably joined along their side edges to form a tubular structure wherein one wall is a composite panel incorporating a pair of face contacting lap panels is provided with locking means in the form of a locking tab formed in one of the lap panels which is inserted through an opening defined by a retaining tab formed in the other lap panel and disposed in coincidental relationship with respect to the locking tab. Formation of the lock is facilitated by angularly extending slits formed in the lap panel in which the opening is formed. One end of each slit is in communication with one side of the opening. During formation of the lock the laterally projecting shoulders of the arrowhead type locking tab are received by the slits so as to facilitate the formation of the lock. Upon completion of the lock the lateral projections of the locking tab are out of registry with the slits.

United States Patent Wood ARTICLE CARRIER AND METHOD OF INTERLOCKING APAIR OF PANELS IN FACE CONTACTING RELATION Prentice J. Wood, Jonesboro,Ga.

The Mead Corporation, Dayton, Ohio Filed: Dec. 10, 1970 Appl. No.296,687

Related US. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 811,859, April 1,1969, Pat. No. 3,570,746.

lnventor:

Assignee:

US. Cl. 53/32 Int. Cl B65b 17/02, B65d 71/00 Field of Search 53/32;206/65 C,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary ExaminerHarold D.Whitehead Assistant Examiner-Neil Abrams Attorney-Walter M. RodgersABSTRACT An article carrier of the wrap-around type having top, bottomand side walls foldably joined along their side edges to form a tubularstructure wherein one wall is a composite panel incorporating a pair offace contacting lap panels is provided with locking means in the form ofa locking tab formed in one of the lap panels which is inserted throughan opening defined by a retaining tab formed in the other lap panel anddisposed in coincidental relationship with respect to the locking tab.Formation of the lock is facilitated by angularly extending slits formedin the lap panel in which the opening is formed. One end of each slit isin communication with one side of the opening. During fonnation of thelock the laterally projecting shoulders of the arrowhead type lockingtab are received by the slits so as to facilitate the formation of thelock. Upon completion of the lock the lateral projections of the lockingtab are out of registry with the slits.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED M18 7 I975 3.7 50 36 3 FIG. 3- F1645 I NVEN TOR. PRENTICE J. WOOD ATTORNEY ARTICLE CARRIER AND METHOD OFINTERLOCKING A PAIR OF PANELS IN FACE CONTACTING RELATION Thisapplication is a division of application Ser. No. 81 1,859 filed Apr. 1,1969 and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,746.

US. Pat. No. 2,751,730 issued June 26, 1956 discloses an article carrierhaving arrowhead type locking tabs which are driven through openingsdefined by retaining tabs so as to secure the carrier blank about agroup of articles to be packaged. This patent discloses and claims amachine and method for driving the locking tabs through the openingsdefined by the retaining tabs. Since the packaging process of Pat. No.2,751,730 is performed continuously as the carton wrapper and items tobe packaged are moved continuously along a predetermined path, it isnecessary to move the locking mechanism in synchronism with the movementof the blank and articles.

According to this invention, arrowhead type locking tabs and theirassociated retaining tabs and openings are specially adapted for theformation of the lock by static plows. Stated otherwise, slits areformed in one panel of the carton adjacent the locking aperture tofacilitate manipulation of the locking tab with reference to the openingdefined by the retaining tab.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to thefollowing detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of awrap-around carton constructed according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the blank used in forming the carton shown inFIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are fragmentary perspective views showing the insertion ofthe locking tab into an opening defined by the retaining tab, FIG. 3depicting an initial stage of the locking operation and FIG. 4 depictihga later stage of such an operation, portions of the blank being omittedfor the sake of clarity, and in which FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlargedend view of the locking elements in locked condition.

In the drawings, the numeral I generally designates the top wall of acarrier having side edges 2 and 3. A plurality of can receiving slits 4,5 and 6 are formed along the fold line 2 and similar slits 7, 8 and 9are formed along fold line 3.

To facilitate carrying the package, a pair of tabs 10 and 11 are struckfrom the top panel 1 and are foldably joined thereto along the foldlines 12 and 13 respectively. These tabs simply are folded inwardly intovacant spaces within the package to form finger gripping apertures as iswell known.

In order to facilitate opening of the package, a conventional tear strip14 is formed in top panel 1 and functions in known manner.

For the purpose of separating the cans such as C1 in one row from thecans such as C2 in the other row, a plurality of tabs such as areindicated at l5, l6 and 17 are struck from top panel I.-Preferablythough not necessarily, these tabs are of the type which are doubledback on themselves so that the extreme outer end of each tab ridesunderneath one of the can chimes so as to hold the top panel 1 intoclose proximity to the tops of the cans.

The side walls of the carton are designated by the numerals I8 and 19respectively and such walls are foldably joined to top wall 1 along foldlines 2 and 3 respectively.

The bottom of the carrier is a composite panel made up of a pair of lappanels designated by the numerals 20 and 21 which are foldably joinedrespectively to the side walls 18 and 19 along fold lines 22 and 23.

For receiving the bottom portions of the cans, a plurality of slits 24,25 and 26 are formed along fold line 22 while similar slits 27, 28 and29 are formed along fold line 23.

For the purpose of tightening the wrapper as depicted in FIG. 2 about anarticle group, tightening apertures designated by the numeral 30 areformed in lap panel 20 and similar tightening apertures 31 are formed inlap panel 21. As is well understood in the art, suitable machineelements enter the tightening apertures 30 and 31 and these elements aremanipulated so as to draw the wrapper in tight relationship about thearticles to be packaged.

With the wrappper tightened about its associated article group, it thenis necessary to secure the lap panels 20 and 21 together. Toward thisend locking tabs 32 and 33 are inserted into the openings defined byretaining tabs 34 and 35.

The locking tabs 32 and 33 are identical as are the openings defined bythe retaining tabs 34 and 35. Only one locking tab and one retaining taband its associated opening are here described.

Locking tab 33 for example is provided with a main part 36 which extendsin a direction which is generally parallel to the end edges such as 37and 38 of the bottom panel comprising lap panels 20 and 21. In addition,locking tabs such as 33 are provided with lateral projections 39 and 40.

Retaining tab 35 is formed by two parallel slits defining the side edgesof the retaining tab and by a transverse slit connecting the ends of theparallel slits. Of course, when the retaining tab is folded inwardly andout of the plane of its associated panel, an opening is formed whereinthe locking tab such as 33 is received.

When the carton is assembled and with the lap panels 20 and 21 in lockedcondition, retaining tabs such as 35 extend in the opposite directionfrom the locking tabs such as 33.

In order to facilitate insertion of the locking tab 33 into the openingdefined by retaining tab 35, a pair of slits 41 and 42 are formed in lappanel 21 alongside the sides of the retaining tab and with their innerends extending into the side edges of the opening defined by V retainingtab 35. As is apparent particularly from FIG.

2, these slits 41 and 42 are disposed at an angle with respect to sideedges of the opening defined by the retaining tab 35. Thus lateralprojections 39 and 40 of locking tab 33 are received respectively byslits 41 and 42 during the formation of the lock. Furthermore, the mainportion 36 of the locking tab 33 is approximately the same width as isthe width of the retaining tab 35. Since the slits 41 and 42 aredisposed at an angle to the sides of the opening defined by retainingtab 35, the lateral projections 39 and 40 of locking tab 33 fall out ofregistry with the slits after the lock is formed and upon completion ofthe locking operation.

The locking tabs such as 32 and 33 first must be swung out of the planeof the lap panel 2111. Thereafter the lap panel 20 and locking tabs suchas 32 and 33 are plowed for instance by static means into cooperativerelationship with the lap panel 21 and the openings defined by theretaining tabs 34 and 35. As is apparent from FIG. 4, locking tab 33assumes temporarily a slightly curved configuration when its lateralprojections pass through the angular slits 41 and 42. However after thelocking tab is fully inserted and seated within the opening defined byretaining tab 35, the locking tab returns due to the resilience of thematerial to its initial flat condition whereby the lateral projectionsbecome positioned out of registry with the slits 41 and 42. It will benoted also that during the formation of the lock, locking tab 33 pushesthe retaining tab 35 upwardly and out of the plane of panel 21 andinwardly so that the retaining tab assumes an angle to the lap panel 21and in effect props the locking tab 33 at an angle to lap panel 20 andthereby aids in securing the lock as shown in FIG. 5. Movement of thelap panels is such that when the lock is completed lap panel 20 is inface contacting relation to lap panel 21 and locking tabs 33 and 34 arefully inserted within the openings defined by retaining tabs 34 and 35.The width of the main portion of the locking tab is approximately equalto the width of the associated retaining tab and the lateral projectionson the locking tab extend in a lateral direction a distancesubstantially equal to the lateral components of the slits.

It will be understood that the angular slits such as 41 and 42 provide aclear passage for the lateral projections of the locking tab withoutweakening these projections. At the same time the formation of the lockis greatly simplified in that simple plow means can be employed.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method of interlocking a pair of panels in face contacting relationcomprising the steps of arranging the panels in close but spaced apartrelation to each other, forcing an arrowhead type locking tab havinglateral projections thereon and formed integral with one of said panelsout of the plane thereof in the general direction of the other of saidpanels and subsequently moving said one panel into flat face contactingrelation with the other of said panels and simultaneously inserting thearrowhead end of said locking tab into an opening formed in said otherpanel, said lateral projections of said locking tab being received byangularly related slits formed in said other panel and in communicationwith opposite sides of said opening to impart a slightly curvedconfiguration to said locking tab during insertion of said locking tabinto said opening and said lateral projections being swung out ofregistry with said slits as said one panel engages said other panel inflat face contacting relation therewith 2. A method of interlocking apair of panels in face contacting relation comprising the steps ofarranging the panels in close but spaced apart relation to each other,forcing an arrowhead type locking tab having lateral projections thereonand formed integral with one of said panels out of the plane thereof inthe general direction of the other of said panels and subsequentlymoving said one panel into flat face contacting relation with the otherof said panels and simultaneously inserting the arrowhead end of saidlocking tab into an opening defined by a retaining tab and formed insaid other panel and having angularly related slits extending outwardlyfrom opposite sides of said opening, said lateral projections of saidlocking tab being received by said slits so as to impart a slightlycurved configuration to said locking tab and said lateral projectionsbeing swung out of registry with said slits as said one panel engagessaid other panel in flat face contacting relation therewith and saidprojections complete their passage through said slits due to theresilience of said locking tab.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said retaining tab is pushedout of the plane of said other panel by said locking tab during lockingmovement thereof to an angular position wherein said retaining tab propssaid locking tab to a position wherein said lateral projections are heldout of registry with said slits.

1. A method of interlocking a pair of panels in face contacting relationcomprising the steps of arranging the panels in close but spaced apartrelation to each other, forcing an arrowhead type locking tab havinglateral projections thereon and formed integral with one of said panelsout of the plane thereof in the general direction of the other of saidpanels and subsequently moving said one panel into flat face contactingrelation with the other of said panels and simultaneously inserting thearrowhead end of said locking tab into an opening formed in said otherpanel, said lateral projections of said locking tab being received byangularly related slits formed in said other panel and in communicationwith opposite sides of said opening to impart a slightly curvedconfiguration to said locking tab during insertion of said locking tabinto said opening and said lateral projections being swung out ofregistry with said slits as said one panel engages said other panel inflat face contacting relation therewith.
 2. A method of interlocking apair of panels in face contacting relation comprising the steps ofarranging the panels in close but spaced apart relation to each other,forcing an arrowhead type locking tab having lateral projections thereonand formed integral with one of said panels out of the plane thereof inthe general direction of the other of said panels and subsequentlymoving said one panel into flat face contacting relation with the otherof said panels and simultaneously inserting the arrowhead end of saidlocking tab into an opening defined by a retaining tab and formed insaid other panel and having angularly related slits extending outwardlyfrom opposite sides of said opening, said lateral projections of saidlocking tab being received by said slits so as to impart a slightlycurved configuration to said locking tab and said lateral projectionsbeing swung out of registry with said slits as said one panel engagessaid other panel in flat face contacting relation therewith and saidprojections complete their passage through said slits due to theresiliencE of said locking tab.
 3. A method according to claim 2 whereinsaid retaining tab is pushed out of the plane of said other panel bysaid locking tab during locking movement thereof to an angular positionwherein said retaining tab props said locking tab to a position whereinsaid lateral projections are held out of registry with said slits.